Archive for the ‘Employee Policies, Handbook, Forms’ Category
CALIFORNIA PAID FAMILY LEAVE OVERVIEW
Is California’s “Paid Family Leave” a Protected Leave of Absence? Employers are sometimes uncertain how to properly respond to an employee’s request for Paid Family Leave because the name is somewhat misleading. Some unpaid “leaves of absence” (for example for medical conditions or family emergencies) are legally “protected,” meaning the employer must accept the eligible […]
CAUTIONARY TALES EPISODE 16
Spa Nailed for $1.2 Million, “Wage Theft” The California Labor Commissioner’s Office has announced large citations against Young’s Nail Spa in Temecula, for misclassification of 36 workers as independent contractors and for wage theft, paying by the service instead of paying them hourly and overtime in spite of 50-hour weeks. The salon was also […]
CAUTIONARY TALE EPISODE 15
Drywall Company Plastered With Nearly $2 Million in Citations The Labor Commissioner has again looked to the construction industry for its latest round of wage theft citations. A July 24, 2018 release announces that Fullerton Pacific Interiors, Inc. will have to pay over $1.9 million for underpaying several hundred workers over a nearly two-year period. […]
ADDITIONAL PROTECTION FROM SERIAL HARASSERS
California Employers May Disclose Sexual Harassment Allegations to Prospective Employers Defamation refers to the laws that make someone accountable for harming another’s reputation through the spread of falsehoods either verbally (slander) or in writing (libel). Alleged sexual harassers have sued employers and sometimes victims for defamation in connection with statements made in a sexual harassment complaint […]
BASIC WORKPLACE “RULES OF THE ROAD”
2018 California Wage Orders Overview The California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) through the California Industrial Welfare Commission (IWC) created and continues to refine 17 wage orders (Wage Orders) to regulate employee pay and working conditions by applicable industry or occupation. For example, Wage Order 4 applies to professional, technical, clerical, and mechanical occupations; Wage […]
COOL IT
Summer is Here – Are Your Outdoor Workers Protected from Heat Illness? Summer is upon us, time for seasonal measures to protect workers from heat illness. California’s Occupational Safety & Health Standards Board (OSHSB) 2015 regulations set the standards. See, New Heat Illness Prevention Measures Now in Place (May, 2015); Employers Must Chill (April 11, […]
CAUTIONARY TALES EPISODE 12
646,000 Reasons to Pay Final Wages on Time Continuing her “Wage Theft is a Crime” crusade against employers who fail to pay workers all compensation in a timely fashion, the Labor Commissioner announced citations against Vista Santa Rosa, Inc., a San Bernardino farm labor contractor, and seven of its client employers, who failed to give […]
OH NO YOU DIDN’T!
What to Do When an Employee Refuses to Sign a Disciplinary Notice Businesses must discipline their employees fairly and consistently in accordance with company policy. An employer should keep proper records of poor performance and misconduct in the worker’s personnel file, including text messages, emails, and formal warnings, along with documentation of the employer’s attempt […]
CAUTIONARY TALES EPISODE 11
Cheesecake Factory and Its Janitorial Contractors Assessed $4.57 Million for “Wage Theft” The state Labor Commissioner has assessed Cheesecake Factory Restaurants, Inc. and two contractors hired for janitorial services some $4.57 million for underpayment of minimum wage and overtime to 559 janitorial workers at eight Southern California locations. The decision is a significant caution to […]
GIVE ME A BREAK!
Time Off for Fire Fighting, Crime Victims, Drug Rehab, School Visits, and More Most California employers are aware that state and federal law allows eligible employees to take time off for family and medical leave, parental leave, pregnancy disability leave, paid sick leave, and jury duty. California employers may not be as familiar with other […]